'Ghost In The Shell' Live-Action Movie Leaves Disney; Takes A Big Step With Paramount
As many already know, Masamune Shirow's acclaimed sci-fi manga "Ghost In The Shell" is being turned into a live-action movie. Plans for an adaptation began when Steven Spielberg, a self-professed fan of the property, bought the rights to the franchise in 2008, but failed to get it off the ground due to production conflicts.
"Ghost In The Shell" was eventually greenlit by Disney in 2014, with "Snow White and The Huntsman" director Ruper Sanders tasked to helm the project.
It was previously reported that the "Ghost In The Shell" live-action film would start production early this year, though that back in mid 2015 and new information has been released since that time.
The latest update comes from Deadline, who reports that the project will now be distrubuted in theaters by Paramount Pictures instead of Disney, with the former also co-financing the movie. The publication also states that the movie will keep its announced March 31, 2017 released date
There are also no changes to the film's cast; Scarlett Johansson ("Avengers: Age of Ultron") is still set to play the lead character, along with Pilou Asbæk (Johansson's co-star in "Lucy") and Sam Riley ("Maleficent").
According to Screen Rant, the live-action movie's plot is "is set in the future, where a special ops cyborg leads a counter-cyberterrorism organization on a mission to track down an extremist terrorist group led by a mysterious figure, known in Shirow's original work as The Laughing Man," the protagonist in the original animation and the character Riley is rumored to take on.
"Ghost In The Shell" was originally published as a manga in Japan's Young Magazine in 1989. It was later on adapted into animated feature in 1995.
The film's success led to an animated series entitled, "Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex." It ran for another season bearing the subtitle "Second Gig."
The franchise has since expanded into video games, merchandise and several animated sequels.
Stay tuned for more news on Paramount's "Ghost In The Shell" live-action movie as updates become available.